Why It Matters
New York travelers flying through LaGuardia Airport are facing significant disruptions to the security screening process as a federal staffing crisis forces an unconventional solution. The deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to Transportation Security Administration checkpoints marks an unprecedented crossover of federal law enforcement roles, raising questions about airport security protocols, passenger rights, and the broader consequences of the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
For the millions of passengers who pass through LaGuardia each year, the change means longer wait times, unfamiliar faces at screening stations, and uncertainty about standard procedures at one of the nation’s busiest regional airports.
What Happened
ICE officers were observed scanning passenger identification documents at a TSA security checkpoint inside LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The New York Post confirmed the presence of at least three ICE officers working the checkpoint, with two of the three visibly wearing “Enforcement and Removal Operations” patches — identifying them as members of the agency’s deportation unit.
The deployment came after President Trump ordered ICE to assist TSA screeners at airports across the country earlier in the week, on Monday. The directive was issued in direct response to mounting staff shortages within TSA that have caused security lines to stretch for as long as two hours at multiple major airports.
At least one traveler at LaGuardia audibly expressed surprise upon clearing the checkpoint, remarking, “ICE is running the security!” The comment reflected widespread confusion among passengers who were not expecting immigration enforcement officers to be conducting identity verification at domestic flight screening areas.
By the Numbers
- 2 hours: Approximate wait time reported in the TSA security line at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B on Thursday.
- 3: Number of ICE officers observed by reporters working the TSA checkpoint during the incident.
- 40 days: Length of the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown, which has left many TSA employees working without pay.
- 2: Number of ICE officers wearing Enforcement and Removal Operations patches, indicating their primary assignment is deportation activity.
- 1 day: Time between President Trump’s Monday deployment order and the visible presence of ICE officers at LaGuardia checkpoints later in the week.
Zoom Out
The situation at LaGuardia is not isolated. TSA staffing shortages have been reported at airports across the United States as the DHS shutdown stretches into its fifth week. Federal employees deemed non-essential have faced delayed or withheld paychecks, and some TSA workers have declined to report to shifts, creating gaps in coverage at screening checkpoints nationwide.
The use of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations personnel — officers whose primary function is identifying, apprehending, and deporting undocumented immigrants — in a TSA capacity represents a significant expansion of their operational role. Historically, federal agencies have maintained distinct jurisdictional boundaries, and the blending of immigration enforcement duties with transportation security functions is drawing scrutiny from civil liberties organizations and transportation policy analysts.
Across the country, other federal agencies have similarly seen their workforces stretched or redirected during the shutdown period. The TSA, which screens approximately 2.5 million passengers daily at U.S. airports under normal operating conditions, has faced repeated criticism in past years for staffing vulnerabilities, and the current crisis has intensified those concerns. Several major airports beyond New York have also reported above-average wait times in recent days.
What’s Next
The continuation of ICE officers at TSA checkpoints will likely depend on the resolution of the DHS shutdown, which has now entered its sixth week with no confirmed agreement in place. Congressional negotiations are ongoing, though no firm timeline for a budget resolution has been publicly announced.
Passenger advocacy groups and legal organizations are expected to raise formal concerns about the legality and appropriateness of deploying deportation-focused officers in screening roles that typically involve minimal law enforcement authority. Questions remain about whether ICE officers working TSA posts are operating under TSA authority, their own agency’s jurisdiction, or some combination of both.
TSA has not issued detailed public guidance on the scope of ICE officers’ responsibilities at checkpoints or the screening criteria being applied. Airport officials, airline carriers operating out of LaGuardia, and DHS leadership have not yet offered a formal joint statement on the arrangement or its expected duration. Travelers are advised to arrive well in advance of departure times until staffing conditions normalize.